Overview
A property managing agent in Leeds, with a team of around 50 employees across various departments, including customer service, accounts, compliance, surveying, and insurance, faced a major challenge in efficiently managing their email correspondence. The company had a strict policy of saving all emails to relevant locations for transparency and easy retrieval, but the manual process of filing emails was inefficient, error-prone, and time-consuming.
To modernise their workflow, they sought a reliable, automated solution that would build on their recent migration to Microsoft OneDrive while integrating smoothly with Microsoft Outlook.
Project goals & requirements
To streamline email management and improve efficiency, the company needed a solution that automated filing, enhanced accessibility, and made good use of cloud technology.
The solution: Outlook integration with Microsoft Graph API
To create a reliable, automated email filing system, we developed a custom Outlook integration using Microsoft Graph API, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and ease of use.
Custom Outlook integration
Developed a tailored Outlook integration using Microsoft Graph API for reliable email management.
Automated email scanning
Scans sent emails daily, detecting key patterns in the subject line for accurate classification.
OneDrive mapping
Matches emails to predefined OneDrive locations based on specific rules for organised storage.
Archiving process
Moves successfully processed emails to an “Archived Items” folder for better inbox management.
Simple authentication
Handles authentication efficiently, requiring user login only if their token expires.
Error-checking system
Provides a review mechanism for staff to identify and correct any misfiled emails.
Results & impact
The implementation of the new system transformed email management, reducing manual effort, improving accuracy, and ensuring long-term scalability.
Time-saving automation
Eliminated manual email filing, freeing up valuable staff time for higher-priority tasks.
Error reduction
Minimised filing errors by ensuring emails are stored in the correct location with minimal effort.
Improved searchability & compliance
Organised emails in a structured, predictable format, enhancing retrieval and regulatory compliance.
Simplified onboarding
New staff no longer need to learn complex directory paths, simplifying training and adoption.
Future scalability
Easily adaptable system allows for new rules and integrations as the company grows.
With the new system in place, staff simply respond to emails as usual, ensuring that the subject line follows the correct format. The automation takes care of the rest, filing the emails automatically without additional effort.
Why this matters
Efficient email management is critical for productivity, compliance, and collaboration. By automating filing, reducing errors, and building in scalability, businesses can save time, improve accuracy, and adapt to growth without friction.
This project wasn’t just about automation. It was about creating a smarter, scalable system for growth. If your business is struggling with outdated processes, let’s explore how we can transform them.